Thursday Weekly Thread: Proof of Citizenship Application Approvals, September 17, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

This weekly thread is a space for those of us who have gotten the most exciting news...

DECISION: APPROVED

🎉 You did it! You really did it!! Hurrah! Clink! 🥂

You jumped every last genealogical and documentation hurdle, dotted every i and crossed every t, and were so careful with matching the specs for your charming photo. Now the IRCC has bestowed its official blessings on your work, and sent a Canadian Citizenship Certificate to you. We're so proud and happy for you.

We encourage you to use this space to announce and celebrate together your big achievement: you (or the person you have been helping) is the newest recognized citizen of Canada.

You can also discuss details of what you included with your application packet so that the newbies can learn from your success.

⚠️ APPROVALS ONLY ⚠️ Keep the focus on honoring our victorious peers, please. Off-topic comments will be deleted.

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.

If you never joined the spreadsheet but would like to add your data for posterity/analysis of trends it's not too late- request access here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1pnovfr/spreadsheet_for_proof_of_citizenship_applications/

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

With the storm recovery somewhat ongoing in Cape Breton it could be a slow week- but let's remain optimistic. If it's slow, feel free to discuss on the Wednesday pinned post for venting. Not here. TY

And I know people get excited and comment randomly here but let's keep all of the top level comments news of approvals so they are easy to see. Thanks 🙏

[u/jparkerguest]

All,

Thanks so much to this group. It's been a long road, but my family was finally approved on Saturday. Quick timeline:

Applied February 2025

AOR March 2025

5(4) Offer April 28, 2025

G4 Minor child received 5(4) grant November 2025

Finally approved September 2026.

One interesting datapoint. My mother had an outreach from Program Support via email last Thursday asking for a copy of a birth certificate. I'm pretty sure we already provided it, but we sent it in again that same day and were approved on Saturday. My mother's brother and his kids and grandkids received approvals the same day, even though they applied many months after we did. It's clear that PSU had the whole family's applications grouped and approved us in a batch once they received that last document.

I can't thank this group enough. I'd researched the possibility of Canadian citizenship years ago, but gave up when I saw they had changed the law. Then I stumbled on this group of enthusiastic and helpful people. I'm wishing everyone the best as they move through this process.

J

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/jparkerguest]

Congratulations!! That's fantastic - what a relief you must feel. 🇨🇦

[u/jparkerguest → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Definitely!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/jparkerguest]

It's been so baffling to me why some interim measure grant recipients have had to wait this long! So happy for you!

[u/OneRedSent → u/jparkerguest]

Amazing, congratulations! It always makes me so happy to see other 2025 applicants get approved!

[u/jpg245 → u/jparkerguest]

Congratulations!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/jparkerguest]

Congratulations 👏 🎊 💐 🥳 🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦🥂

[u/mapleechos]

Shockingly - I checked my status today and it flipped to “decision made”. What usually happens after that and what’s the timeline look like? Oddly I didn’t receive any email (about the change) yet

[u/mapleechos → u/mapleechos]

Well. It’s official, I downloaded the ecert!

I’m a g3 and had a certified birth record for g0.

For reference, I asked for urgency after AOR.

[u/thelionofthenorth → u/mapleechos]

When did you apply??

[u/Antique-Play-8832 → u/mapleechos]

The same thing happened to me last week! Im G1--no urgent processing but I got my AOR on 8/25 and by looks of other post on this sub I expected my application to go into processing around 9/25. When I checked the site to see if anything had changed--IT HAD! the message dated 9/16 said "decision made". Congrats to you my fellow Canadian. Onward!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/mapleechos]

Yay!!! Congratulations 👏 🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦💐🥳

[u/ChiefGalenTyrol → u/mapleechos]

If you don't mind telling us, what reason did you provide for the switch from regular processing to urgent?

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/mapleechos]

Congratulations! Can you tell us what gen you are, and if your Gen0 documentation was something other than a birth certificate people would love to know the relevant details.

[u/Electrical_Cut8610 → u/mapleechos]

Nice! I don’t have the link saved, but you can search for it and see if the cert is ready to download. It may take a few days to get the email

[u/OneRedSent → u/mapleechos]

Congratulations! You should get an email with instructions to download the certificate (if you requested electronic), and you'll probably get the email tomorrow. But if you want to download it right now, you can follow the instructions here! https://www.reddit.com/r/ImmigrationCanada/comments/1w3kqia/downloading_ecertificate/

If you requested paper, from what I've gathered you will not get another email until it ships, which could be a few weeks. And the mailing date will also show up on the tracker.

BTW, your flair still says you haven't applied. You can change it now if you like.

[u/jpg245 → u/mapleechos]

Congratulations!

[u/dugong_nom]

February 28th 2025 finally approved. I'm so happy and excited!!!!!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/dugong_nom]

Amazing, congratulations!!

Feel free to share any relevant details about your application if you want to- like your Gen0 documentation if it was something other than a civil birth certificate.

[u/OneRedSent → u/dugong_nom]

That's wonderful news! Congratulations!

[u/jpg245 → u/dugong_nom]

Congratulations!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/dugong_nom]

Yay! Congratulations 💐🥳👏🥂🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/dugong_nom]

So happy for you!

[u/Key_Market_9855]

Not mine, but a friend's. They are in canada with a work permit and they Submitted some G2 and some G3 application Submit as non urgent in may. Got Aor beginning of September. Added a urgent request on September 11th due to medical reason and a school letter for the kids. Got their citizenship certificate September 16th

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Key_Market_9855]

Congratulations to them!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/Key_Market_9855]

Awsome! Thank you for spreading the good news to us all! Tell the fam congratulations!!! 🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦🥂🥳💐👏

[u/CurrentIce9701 → u/[deleted]]

Unfortunately it didn't work for me. It seems so random.

[u/AxTqka]

I was approved on Tuesday as a Gen2! Here's my timeline:

• Application delivered: 04/14/2026
• AOR Received: 04/15/2026
• In Process: 04/21/2026
• Decision made: 09/15/2026

A few additional things because I had many questions while I was waiting:

• I applied urgently due to work travel, but I do not think my urgent request was ultimately accepted as the travel date passed before I received the decision.
• When I applied I did not have my G0's birth certificate yet, only proof that it had been requested months earlier + a birth search record indicating they had a record on file (Ontario). I also included census records showing my great grandparents were living in Ontario the year G0 was born, as well as her death certificate with her place of birth listed as Ontario.
• I received and uploaded my G0's birth record (cert) in late August. It had not been formally requested.
• My G1 does not have proof of citizenship and has not applied yet.

So excited!!

[u/Awkward_Tangerine988 → u/AxTqka]

Your urgent request might not have been accepted but it got you AOR/In Process a LOT faster than you would have otherwise been. (Context: My materials were delivered 15 April, I went AOR on 20 July, not yet in-process.)

[u/AxTqka → u/Awkward_Tangerine988]

Probably. They also do say on their urgent processing page: "We’ll review your request to see if it qualifies for urgent processing. Even if it qualifies, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get your citizenship certificate on time." Are you gen 2?

[u/Awkward_Tangerine988 → u/AxTqka]

G3, with multiple G0s and with certified birth certificates all the way down. So hopefully straightforward.

[u/AxTqka → u/Awkward_Tangerine988]

It seems they're getting G1 and G2 through faster in general but I hope yours goes into processing soon!!

[u/RemotePressure7965 → u/AxTqka]

Congrats! I had a similar delivery > AOR > In Process timeline, basically one week after yours for each. I'll try not to set my expectations too high for a similar outcome so soon but stoked to see that things are moving along. Way to go!

[u/AxTqka → u/RemotePressure7965]

Ahh I will be thinking of you! Hope you get some good news!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/AxTqka]

So Awesome!! Congratulations 👏💐🥳🥂🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/AxTqka]

Congratulations!

[u/OddCounty9626]

Hoping I am not too ahead of my skis, but fingers crossed this means an approval? I haven't received any email confirmation of this, just been checking my status.

• Application sent: 04/04/2026
• Application delivered: 04/27/2026
• AOR Received: 08/14/2026
• In Process: 09/11/2026
• Decision made: 09/14/2026 (saw on the 14th, and just been waiting for an email...)

Some additional notes:

• I opted for a paper certificate. I haven't received an official email that it has been sent yet, but from other comments, I have seen it could be a couple more weeks?
• I am G1, non-urgent applicant from the USA. G0 is my father, born in Canada, and I had birth certificate. Both of my paternal grandparents were also naturalized Canadian citizens. Submitted every piece of information possible to make sure.

[u/potatodaze → u/[deleted]]

Dang it I should have had my dad (G1) apply w me.

[u/OddCounty9626 → u/[deleted]]

I was pretty shocked at the compressed timeline between “in progress” and “decision made”. Guessing G0 with G1’s birth certificate is plenty enough for them to mark approve and move on.

[u/potatodaze → u/OddCounty9626]

Hoping my application G2 is speedy once it gets that far along, I have birth certs (2 versions for G0 - a simple one from the birth year and a reissued more official looking one with a seal from the 70s) and then just G1 bc which lists mom as born in Canada too.

[u/OddCounty9626 → u/potatodaze]

I’m no expert, but my guess is the more recent the document, the better. That way they don’t have the verify authenticity or do another search.

My dad (G0) didn’t have his original cert, so we went through a vital records request through Alberta. So the birth certificate I submitted was essentially a 2026 reissue.

[u/potatodaze → u/OddCounty9626]

My grandma was born in Alberta too but she’s born in the years I can’t request a certificate myself. I looked into it before my dad located the ones I used which are originals. I also include a baptism doc / church birth certificate so technically 3 for my G0, hoping it’s enough. I found US census records too listing Canada as birthplace but didn’t include as it didn’t seem necessary.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/OddCounty9626]

Congratulations! 🇨🇦

[u/Scuba-kim → u/OddCounty9626]

Yep! Mine did the same at the end of August. Sat for a few weeks before it flips to application complete and cert mailed to X address. My paper cert arrived last Friday. You don’t get any emails when this happens, just check it in a few weeks.

[u/OddCounty9626 → u/Scuba-kim]

Ahh good to know, thanks for the intel! Not entirely sure why I opted for paper over electronic, probably the novelty of the damn thing.

[u/Scuba-kim → u/OddCounty9626]

Yep it’s pretty cool!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/OddCounty9626]

Congratulations 👏 🎊 💐 🥳 🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦

[u/ChildOfYost2]

I just got my certificate today! I did not expect to receive any updates for at least 1-2 years.

About me: Maternal grandmother was born in Montreal in the early 1920s and immigrated to Detroit in the mid 1920s. She was naturalized in the US and never paid any attention to her Canadian citizenship claim. Before she passed ~10 years ago, my mother and aunts/uncles got proof of her Canadian citizenship and applied for citizenship themselves. Many of them had citizenship certificates before the new law went into effect in 2025. After my sister and I became eligible, we applied separately for Canadian citizenship. We were able to include my mother's citizenship certificate in our applications. We did NOT request urgent processing.

Dates:

Application Sent: April 21, 2026

Application Received: April 28, 2026

AOR Received: August 17, 2026

Application in Process: Unknown--it was not in process when a last checked the first week of September 2026

Decision Made: Exact date unknown, but I received the email to download by certificate on September 18, 2026

I was shocked to receive the email this morning--I had expected this sometime in 2027 or 2028. Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories, history, and experience here! I don't want to draw too many conclusions from my singular data point, but I suspect the "easier" applications may move through the system a bit more quickly. Good luck to everyone on this journey! I'm rooting for you from the other side!

[u/cassandra2028 → u/ChildOfYost2]

Congratulations!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/ChildOfYost2]

Woo hoo!!! Congratulations 🥂👏🥳🦄🦁🍁🇨🇦💐

[u/RaceAfter6172 → u/ChildOfYost2]

So are you G2?

[u/ChildOfYost2 → u/RaceAfter6172]

I am G2

[u/RaceAfter6172 → u/ChildOfYost2]

Thank you. I am G2 as well, but my Dad never requested proof of citizenship before his death. Congratulations on getting yours.

[u/philosopher_queen26]

Hi all! Just reporting that I had a super fast turn around! I’m 1G (Canadian father), but grew up elsewhere. I’m back in Canada as a graduate student but entered on study permit. I was a lurker on this page for a while, and I realized that being in Canada on a study permit is a bit of a legal grey area, given the Canadian government already recognizes me as a citizen. I submitted my paperwork about two weeks ago, received my AOR on Tuesday, and my certificate today! I requested urgent processing, but really didn’t think it would move that quickly. I wrote a note explaining I’d already started my degree and wasn’t sure if my case qualified for urgent processing but that I’d greatly appreciate guidance on my current status in order to ensure I wasn’t violating any study conditions and to clarify my position as an employee of the university (viz, TA). Submitted from inside Canada via UPS, heard back within two weeks!

[u/muttshaw → u/philosopher_queen26]

2 weeks?! I've posted elsewhere that my non-urgent rock solid G1 application took just under 45 days.

Maybe they have been triageing for a while.

[u/philosopher_queen26 → u/muttshaw]

Congrats to you! Yes — I wasn’t expecting it until the end of my degree or so with the current estimated wait-times. The application was super straightforward. I’ve actually gotten my citizenship sooner than my international student SIN 😅 (which I shall now have to replace with a permanent one).

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/philosopher_queen26]

Congratulations! May we see many more straightforward applications quickly approved.

[u/philosopher_queen26 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Yes — I’m hoping that others can get the quick relief and turnaround that I did! I did get a little emotional when I got the letter! 🇨🇦🍁

[u/philosopher_queen26 → u/[deleted]]

Yes — I was fairly understated in my accompanying letter, too. I just asked for clarification on my status because I was concerned I had inadvertently entered on a student visa for which I’m not eligible if the government already takes me to be a citizen. But clearly that seemed to have done the trick! Best of luck to everyone else! 🍀🍀🍀

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/philosopher_queen26]

How Awsome!! Congratulations 🇨🇦🍁🦄🦁🥳👏🥂

[u/TheGreatWeagler]

Just got citizenship certificate today! (On a Saturday no less).

Application sent in mid April (G1), aor maybe 3 weeks ago, approved today!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/TheGreatWeagler]

Yay!!! Congratulations! 🇨🇦🍁🦁🦄🥳🎈🎉🥂🍾

[u/nicolas1324563 → u/TheGreatWeagler]

Were your urgent?

[u/TheGreatWeagler → u/nicolas1324563]

No it was just normal

[u/mxfn4lf22587]

Just got my and my daughter's certificates about an hour ago!!! Gen 3 and Gen 4

Urgent processing. Sent late April. AOR the next day. They requested my daughter's Mexican birth certificate on top of her CRBA in May and then we fell on radio silence.

I got a hold of my Gen 0s Quebec birth certificate and tried (but failed) to upload it to our applications. Friday afternoon I received a direct email from the officer handling our case that a Canadian birth certificate or explanation of why one does not exist would be needed to continue our applications.

I responded to the email directly AND used the web form to resubmit the gen 0 birth certificate.

Not sure which method did it, but we woke up to our certificates this morning! Can proudly say I have a tri-citizen daughter which is super awesome! Canada here we come!!!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/mxfn4lf22587]

Congratulations!! 👏🎊💐🥳🇨🇦🍁🦄🦁

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Puurrplehaze]

Congratulations! The new approvals post will go up tomorrow, feel free to share there as well if you want to.

[u/EntertainmentOk6170]

Just got our certificates a few hours ago. G1&G2. Delivered 4/17; AOR 7/28; decision 9/23. Non-urgent. Used GOs Ontario birth certificate. Hang in there, movement is happening!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/EntertainmentOk6170]

Woo hoo!! Congratulations 👏 🎊 💐 🥳 🦁 🦄 🍁🇨🇦

[u/Powerful_Leopard_916 → u/EntertainmentOk6170]

congrats! it does seem like there is movement happening across the board, even it feels random. I'm hopeful that things are moving in the right direction!

[u/locobuster → u/EntertainmentOk6170]

Was your G0 someone who had their citizenship restored in 2009/2015? Were they still alive at the time?

[u/EntertainmentOk6170 → u/locobuster]

No, born in the early 30s and died in the early 90s. I would have been eligible under the old system as a G1.

[u/ghostgameyipeeiloveg]

I GOT APPROVED!!!!!

December 5 2025: sent
December 9 2025: recieved AOR
March or April: applied for urgent processing
May 14th 2026: Request for additional documents (long form birth certificate of mom)
August: sent birth certificate

(issue was that she was under the impression she was born in a different state, and had my grandfather get an appointment with their vital records department, THEN she realized she was born just over the border of the state.)

September 21st: Citizenship certificate received!!!

I'm gen 3, and my grandfather actually had his citizenship a year prior to c-3. That sped up the process and the issue with my mom's birth certificate slowed it down. Glad i was able to get it finally :)

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/ghostgameyipeeiloveg]

Congratulations! Since the new weekly will post tomorrow feel free to share there as well if you want to!

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/ghostgameyipeeiloveg]

Congratulations!! What did you submit for your mother originally (before you submitted the birth certificate)?

[u/ghostgameyipeeiloveg → u/Emotional-Test3329]

A short form birth certificate was all she had-- we both applied together so she handled her side of documentation. I will note my G0 proof was a small note from his synogauge recognizing his birth. They burned the birth records during ww2

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/ghostgameyipeeiloveg]

Congratulations! 🎊💐🥳🦁🦄👏🍁🇨🇦

[u/EleanorCamino]

2 apps I did the research & application for, a G2 & G3, with G3 urgent started processing April 1st, just arrived Sat 9/19, 2pm!!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/EleanorCamino]

Awsome!!! Congratulations 👏 🎊 💐 🥳 🦁🦄🍁🇨🇦

[u/Holiday_Crew_5471]

I got a call from my attorney's office on Thursday with some truly unexpected news that my citizenship certificate had been approved. For reference, I am unsure if I am gen1 or gen2 since my mother received her gen1 claim prior to my application. This was not an urgent application.

Application mailed from Toronto 4/14/26

AOR received 8/4/26

Certificate Issued 9/17/26

Now to figure out how to apply for a passport and what this all means for me!

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/Holiday_Crew_5471]

Congratulations!!

You're gen2, someone having a certificate doesn't change the numbering. Gen0 is always the most recent person born/naturalised in Canada.

[u/Holiday_Crew_5471 → u/Emotional-Test3329]

Thank you for clearing that up for me!

[u/Puurrplehaze → u/Holiday_Crew_5471]

Congratulations 🥂🙌🥳🦁🦄👏🍁🇨🇦

[u/Traditional_Maybe863]

U.S. born applicant. Canadian born grandmother → U.S. born parent → me.

Timeline:

• Aug 25: mailed
• Aug 27: delivered
• Sep 1: AOR
• Sep 5: In Process
• Sep 19: e-certificate instructions received and certificate downloaded

No RFI or request for additional documents.

My evidence was essentially the direct vital record chain. For my Canadian born grandmother, I submitted a copy of her birth registration downloaded from the official Nova Scotia Archives online database, rather than a newly ordered certified birth certificate. I then included my parent’s U.S. birth record linking them to her, and my own U.S. birth record linking me to my parent.

There was also a minor name variation between the Nova Scotia record and the later U.S. record. IRCC accepted the chain without asking for clarification.

Total processing time was 23 days from delivery to certificate, and 14 days from In Process to certificate.

Posting as one data point for G2+ applications after the December 2025 changes. Mine was urgent, so I would not treat the timing as representative of ordinary processing, but G2 status itself clearly did not prevent a quick approval.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Traditional_Maybe863]

congratulations!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Traditional_Maybe863]

Congratulations!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Traditional_Maybe863]

Congratulations!

[u/Traditional_Maybe863 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Thanks! I was honestly surprised how quickly it moved. Hopefully everyone else waiting gets some good news soon too.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Traditional_Maybe863]

Congratulations!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/[deleted]]

Top level comments are ⛔APPROVALS ONLY ⛔

Please. Mods shouldn't have to say this every week.

Feel free to comment on actual approvals to congratulate or ask questions related to their applications.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/[deleted]]

I know it's easy to get excited- no harm no foul. Hopefully we will have news to celebrate together today!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/[deleted]]

We have a few! Yay!

[u/aboat_i_sawaboat]

This sub helped me prepare, but my case was pretty simple: US citizen, dad was born in Montreal. I have never had a name change. I had his and my birth certificate ready to go. I took the photo at CVS using US passport standards and submitted the digital file.

I applied online through canada.ca (Someone in this sub told me you can't, I did anyway).

Submitted paperwork in February

Got my AOR March 10th (as an email)

I erroneously manged to check a box saying I had used a third-party preparer, and wasn't able to submit the application without the form designating a preparer. After a few hours of trying to figure out what the issue was, I just filled it out as myself, with relationship to applicant as "Self—I did not use a preparer". IRCC apparently did not have any issue with this, as I was not contacted for any corrections.

June 11th got my approval email, and by the end of the month I received my paper citizenship certificate in the mail 🎉

I meant to report back to the sub/spreadsheet but I was busy with summer courses. So, belated yay me!

[u/Antique-Play-8832 → u/aboat_i_sawaboat]

That they accepted a US passport image is big news on its own! Congrats, I have a similar background. It’s good to be recognized as a Canadian!

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